Eric B.
Private tutor in Portland, OR
Education
I graduated from Texas A&M University with a BS in Mechanical Engineering. My GPA was a 3.2 and I graduate in 2008. At Texas A&M university, I completed Calculus 1, 2, 3 and Differential Equations. Differential and integral Calculus was the base for me completing my engineering school courses. Most principles in physics and engineering involve calculus and the needed formulas which can be derived on the exams themselves from a few key concepts. In Middle school I completed: 7th Grade - Pre Algebra 8th Grade - Algebra 9th Grade - Geometry 10th Grade - Algebra 2 (love me some factoring) 11th Grade - Precalculus and Trigonometry 12th Grade - Differential Calculus and Integral Calculus All of these were taken at the AP, Pre AP, or advanced level. I loved the material and understood it well. Each year that I focused on understanding the material laid the foundation to understand the next year of material. With that knowledge I did not take the AP tests. Instead, I used that understanding to take Differential Calculus and Integral Calculus again in at the university level so that I could have two solid A’s to kick off my GPA. Not only did my understanding of Algebra, Trigonometry, Differential Calculus and Integral Calculus help me with my math classes in college, but also it helped with Physics, Dynamics, Statics, Heat Transfer, and other engineering courses whose material is based on math. If you understand the math, you can understand the formulas. If you understand the formulas, you can do pretty well on the tests. My tutoring focuses on true understanding of the material. It is only through understanding, that a student can be confident for the upcoming exam.
Experience
I have 1 official and 5 unofficial years of tutoring experience. All through school we tutored one another. As we sat at the library struggling through the newest assignment, one of us would figure it out first. Then that person had the choice of going home and leaving us to struggle on our own or to help. If I had the time, I would always choose to help. I did not do this because I was more noble or moral, but rather I stayed to help because it is what I enjoyed doing more so than the work itself. For those 5 years of College (including 1 year of interning) I was both a student and a peer tutor. It was not until my first year out of school that I spent more time as a paid tutor. I was at a community college in the group tutoring center. Whether you were a new student in the school or in your 50’s pursuing your second career, we at the tutoring center were there to help. Also during that time I spent tutoring individuals outside of the center who needed more one-on-one attention. That is when I learned that tutoring is not all about SAT scores, grades, or numbers. Tutoring is about communication between people. It means nothing if a person has knowledge. It only matters if that knowledge can be transferred from the tutor to the student. I love tutoring because it is an exercise in the most important thing that we do, communication. I know math, and whatever I have forgotten from 7th grade, will come back shortly. But, good communication in not something simply repeated from a textbook. Good communication is a commitment to putting your own needs aside and focus on the needs of another. I seek to practice Biblical communication principles in and out of the tutoring session. If you are hiring a tutor, then chances are that you have already had the material spoken to you or monologue to you in class. What you may need now is a conversation or a dialog between yourself and a person who knows math. That conversation also must be geared towards your specific needs. As a side note, Biblical communication is something that I am practicing. If you hire me as a tutor, I will be faithful to what you hire me to do, talk about math! This is not paid evangelism time. I am paid to tutor and that is what I do. So that you can see what that looks like, here are some of the principles that I practice to shape my communication: Proverbs 12:18 - “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing” Proverbs 15:4 - “The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit” Proverbs 18:21 - “The tongue has the power of life and death” What does that mean for a tutor? If words are powerful enough to bring life or death then this means that my words can build up a student to success or cut them down to despair and failure. That's a lot of power, and with great power comes great...oh wait, that's something else. Proverbs 18:13 - “He who answers before listening-that is his folly and his shame” Knowing the power that is in my words, I need to be sure they are aimed in the right direction. In other words, I need to listen and understand the student before answering them. Every word spoken that does not address the student's need is wasted, costly, and even potentially harmful. James 1:19 - “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry” In order to understand a student’s needs, I need to focus on listening and not get frustrated if I need to use my words not to teach what I know, but rather to ask the questions to the student to figure out what I don’t know. The students needs comes first. (Proverbs 10:19) - “When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise” But even when I know what is needed, keep it short and to the point. Proverbs 18:2 - “A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions” In fact, I make myself to be a fool if I talk too much. There are many more and they can be found here http://www.epm.org/resources/2003/Dec/31/biblical-principles-godly-verbal-communication/#.VoGtUTGyhCo.facebook With these principles in mind, I do believe that you are getting not just a subject matter expert, but you are also getting a communicator. You need both in order to be a tutor
Availability
Mon/Wed/Fri in the afternoon, Tues/Thurs in the afternoon, Wednesday in the evening, Thursday in the evening
Can Meet
Up to 15 minutes away for no additional charge
Hobbies
Clients can use this section to get a feel for your personality and see if you'd be a good fit for their son or daughter. I am 30 and still have thoughts that would love to be a professional athlete. But.... that is not going to happen. As a substitute, play ice hockey, touch football, disc golf, and train kickboxing and Jiu Jitsu. I like to stay active, stay in shape and stay playing sports. It is like being a professional athlete...minus the games in packed stadiums, and the paychecks, and well….ok its not the same. I also like playing board games such as monopoly and settlers of Catan when the weather is not great for outdoor activities. I was born and raised in Pittsburgh PA and when to high school and college in Texas. So I am a Pittsburgh and Houston sports fan. I am studying to be a Biblical Counselor at a local church in Beaverton Oregon. I love meeting people of all cultures and finding out what they are passionate about and an expert of. I like investing in people and I like math. So let's get started on changing math and physics from a pain in your life into a story of success!
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